


The Hunt (A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story)

by darling_pet



Category: A Discovery of Witches (TV)
Genre: Anger, Angst, Blood Drinking, Chaptered, Choose Your Own Adventure, Comfort, Courage, Danger, Defiance, F/M, Fluff, Fun, Happy Ending, Horseback Riding, Humor, Hunting, Hurt, Love, Picnics, Predator/Prey, Reader-Insert, Running Away, Self-Doubt, Self-Insert, Vampire Bites, Vampires, Worry, pick a path, vampire attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 08:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 4,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16657408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darling_pet/pseuds/darling_pet
Summary: You, the Reader, head out to ride horses with Matthew at Sept-Tours, and along the way may or may not end up being hunted... You choose your path!





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> After reading a chapter, make your decision and jump ahead to the corresponding chapter title to continue your adventure! Good luck!

It’s a beautiful day at Sept-Tours today, the lush French countryside calling you to ride across it with one of Matthew’s equally beautiful horses. The vampire agrees that a ride would be a pleasant activity considering the fine weather. The pair of you get ready in your riding gear, and before you head down to the stables, you remember to take some apples with you to feed the majestic beasts.

“I fear they like you more than me, now,” Matthew remarks, with a smile.

“Yes, it’s a real coup d'état I’ve planned,” you laugh, tossing each horse an apple. Fiddat, Rakasa, and Balthasar whinny happily and stomp their feet. You grin up at Matthew triumphantly.

Matthew readies Fiddat to be ridden, while Rakasa and Balthasar fight for your attention. They seem to both want to go for a ride equally as bad as the other. Balthasar the stallion is as wild as he is fast. He’d be stiff competition in a race, but would he be likely to listen to your commands? Whereas Nar Rakasa, the Andalusian, is not as quick but heeds every command.

 

Do you:

**Choose Rakasa?**

**Choose Balthasar?**


	2. Rakasa

 

“I’m sorry, Balthasar,” you say to the wild thing, as you stroke Rakasa’s grey face. “I think you’re even a little more unpredictable than Matthew, here,” you joke.

“I don’t know about that,” the vampire says. Rakasa whinnies in victory. After she and her sister are all saddled up, you and Matthew head out into the crisp autumn afternoon on your steeds. The pair of you even begin a little race, and it’s close too! The sister horses are equally matched in competition, and you grin as you pull up nearer to Matthew and Fiddat. The vampire laughs, bringing out the smile lines on his pale face.

_So beautiful._

Coming to the end of the field, you slow down and gesture to a spot that looks like a lovely spot to set up for a picnic. Marthe had packed you a sandwich for the ride. Matthew didn’t have anything, seeing as nothing Marthe or anyone could make would really satisfy him anyway. He grabs the blanket from the saddlebag to lay it on the grass for you.

It truly is a perfect day.

Matthew watches you eat happily while you take in the scenery. You shouldn’t feel bad for eating while he can’t. After all, the only other option is…

Something catches your eyes off in the distance.

A doe.

 

Do you:

**Point out the doe to Matthew so he can eat too?**

**Stay quiet?**


	3. Balthasar

“I’m sorry, Rakasa,” you say to the perfectly willful horse, “but Balthasar never gets ridden…”

“There’s a reason for that,” Matthew jumps in, “and I don’t think it’s a good idea. Rakasa would be much better.”

“You’ll behave for me, won’t you, baby boy?” you ask the stallion. Balthasar snorts. _Well, I’ll just take that as a yes._ _Let’s show Matthew, shall we?_ Your vampire helps you up to sit astride the equestrian beauty.

“Let’s go!” you shout. Your horse for the day makes a noise in agreement and starts off quickly.

“Wait!” Matthew yells. You’re sure you hear him make the loudest sigh in existence even though he’s far behind you now. But not for long.

Balthasar has a plan, though - it’s almost like he can’t resist after being cooped up.

_No, boy, don’t jump that fence. Matthew won’t like it. He’ll blame me._

You hear a familiar holler from behind. If a horse could laugh, this one did, and continued to race toward the paddock fence and cleared it effortlessly.

Matthew flies on Fiddat to catch up, making sure to corral the unruly horse to a slower pace toward the end of the field.

“Whoa, whoa, boy,” you say. Once stopped, Matthew starts his rant.

“What was _that_? I’ve told you a million times not to do that! If you were to fall-”

“I know you’ve told me! But this horse has a mind of his own, does he not?!” you explain. “I tried to urge him not to.”

“I _told_ you.”

“I know you did. But I’m fine. We’re all fine.” You try to keep your voice calm so that it might soothe Matthew’s temper. “He won’t be getting any apples from me anymore for pulling that stunt. Now, why don’t we sit down and relax, okay?”

The man still looks furious, but he resigns to the idea and grabs the blanket from the saddlebag to lay on the grass for you. You make sure to grab the sandwich Marthe had packed for you before sitting down. Matthew seems to be calming down a little.

 

Do you:

**Give him an “I’m sorry” kiss on the cheek?**

**Apologize for what happened?**


	4. Kiss on the Cheek

You lean over on the blanket to press your lips softly to Matthew’s cheek as an apology, resting your hand on his upper arm. You make sure to give him another lingering cheek kiss for good measure.

That seems to have worked nicely, seeing his face visibly soften.

Matthew goes on to watch you eat hungrily while you take in the scenery. You shouldn’t feel bad for eating while he can’t. After all, the only other option is…

Something catches your eyes off in the distance.

A doe.

 

Do you:

**Point out the doe to Matthew so he can eat too?**

**Stay quiet?**


	5. Apologize

You try to get Matthew to look at you.

“Matthew, darling, I’m sorry to have upset you,” you start, “but I promise you, I tried to get him to go around. I admit I made a mistake choosing him today.”

You hear Balthasar snort in resentment.

“You did,” Matthew grunts.

Running a finger slowly up and down his clothed arm, you say sweetly, “Will you ever forgive me?”

He gives you a side glance and shakes his head. “You have some kind of hold over me, my dear, so yes, I forgive you,” your vampire confesses. “But it _will not_ happen again.”

You merely nod so that this can be a thing of the past.

As a gesture of good will, Matthew takes out your sandwich Marthe had prepared for you this morning and watches you eat hungrily while you take in the scenery. You shouldn’t feel the nagging little feeling for eating while he can’t. After all, the only other option is…

Something catches your eyes off in the distance.

A doe.

  


Do you:

**Point out the doe to Matthew so he can eat too?**

**Stay quiet?**


	6. Point out the Doe

“Look,” you say quietly, gesturing with your head in the direction of the grazing animal. Matthew turns, and you can practically see his eyes lock onto the target - wanting to hunt it.

“We need to leave,” he announces gravely, about to get up.

“What? Why?” You can’t help but ask: “Don’t you want a snack?” Matthew’s head whips to face you.

“ _Don’t_ ,"he warns.

“Why not? I can handle it.”

“I don’t _care_ if you can handle it, I’m not risking the consequences if things go wrong.”

“Matthew, your mother said you haven’t  _eaten_ in a long time… I think you need this.” You could see the internal struggle wage war inside him. _He really must be so hungry._ You stay quiet to see if he’d come to a decision on his own. And then he surprises you.

“Stay. Here.”

You do as he says, making sure to stay perfectly still so as not to mess up his hunting strategy. You’re a little bit worried, yes, but also curious to finally see Matthew in action.

The entire thing is extraordinary to watch - the way he creeps up on the doe, and especially when it takes off running after realizing the vampire is zoning in on it. It bounds toward you and the horses but doesn’t get far because Matthew uses his incredible vampiric speed put himself in the way of it and you. The poor thing is frightened so much that it kneels with a bowed head, submitting itself to its predator.

Watching Matthew sink his teeth into the creature is a sight you’ll never forget. The sweet doe goes limp on the ground as Matthew drains the being of its blood - one animal taking the life of another. You watch him intently. Transfixed on his ritual.

Matthew then lifts his head and straightens his body from his crouching position in front of the doe and turns to look you. The wind must have changed direction and have carried your scent toward him. He stands, still looking like he has room for more…

The nearer he gets to you in his calculated walk, the easier it is to see his narrowed eyes - more black than his usual grey-green as his bloodlust continues from having picked up your scent.

He’s hunting _you_.

 

Do you:

**Approach him slowly and try to calm him down?**

**Stand frozen, hypnotized by his eyes and what he says next?**

**Attempt to run into the woods?**


	7. Stay Quiet

You stay quiet and try to divert your attention to the potential prey of the man sitting beside you.

Matthew’s head perks up, shoulders squaring. His nostrils flare before his wide eyes scan the field, finally falling on the innocent doe.

“We need to leave,” he announces gravely, about to get up.

“What? Why?” You can’t help but ask: “Don’t you want a snack?” Matthew’s head whips to face you.

“ _Don’t_ , _”_ he warns.

“Why not? I can handle it.”

“I don’t _care_ if you can handle it, I’m not risking the consequences if things go wrong.”

“Matthew, your mother said you haven’t _eaten_ in a long time… I think you need this.” You could see the internal struggle wage war inside him. _He really must be so hungry._ You stay quiet to see if he’d come to a decision on his own. And then he surprises you.

“Stay. Here.”

You do as he says, making sure to stay perfectly still so as not to mess up his hunting strategy. You’re a little bit worried, yes, but also curious to finally see Matthew in action.

The entire thing is extraordinary to watch - the way he creeps up on the doe, and especially when it takes off running after realizing the vampire is zoning in on it. It bounds toward you and the horses but doesn’t get far because Matthew uses his incredible vampiric speed put himself in the way of it and you. The poor thing is frightened so much that it kneels with a bowed head, submitting itself to its predator.

Watching Matthew sink his teeth into the creature is a sight you’ll never forget. The sweet doe goes limp on the ground as Matthew drains the being of its blood - one animal taking the life of another. You watch him intently. Transfixed on his ritual.

Matthew then lifts his head and straightens his body from his crouching position in front of the doe and turns to look you. The wind must have changed direction and have carried your scent toward him. He stands, still looking like he has room for more…

The nearer he gets to you in his calculated walk, the easier it is to see his narrowed eyes - more black than his usual grey-green as his bloodlust continues from having picked up your scent.

He’s hunting _you_.

 

Do you:

**Approach him slowly and try to calm him down?**

**Stand frozen, hypnotized by his eyes and what he says next?**

**Attempt to run into the woods?**


	8. Approach Him Slowly

You stand tall and frown at the vampire on his way over, and carefully begin to take small steps toward him.

“Matthew, stop it right now,” your voice unwavering and criticizing, “You are not going to hunt me.”

“ _Stop_ ,” he snarls viciously at you, teeth on display, “don’t _move._ ” So, of course, you keep your steady and slow pace toward him.

“Matthew Clairmont, you cannot tell me what to do anymore. You’re _not_ going to hurt me.” The man reaches you finally and snatches your wrist to pull you to him, your back pressed against his chest. Matthew’s breathing is erratic, which is very unlike the usually hardly-breathing-vampire as if it’s taking every ounce of him not to attack your neck and drink you dry right now.

“Just because I love you doesn’t mean I won’t do something I’ll regret for an eternity,” he says. You hear him inhale at the nape of your neck, and it sends a shiver down your spine.

“If you love me, then I trust you.”

“Never trust a vampire,” Matthew growls again, “Not even me.”

“It won’t be much of a hunt if I let you, so just do it. Drink from me,” you command him. He may not trust his actions, but you see it in him. Matthew doesn’t _want_ to hurt you. So he won't.

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“ _Just do it_.”

Without another word, Matthew attaches himself your neck, and you feel the sharp bite of his teeth break your skin. One of your hands grabs his own and you squeeze tightly, while his other takes your waist in a possessive hold.

You can feel each ounce of blood leave you as the predator sucks greedily. You never knew having a vampire drink from you could feel this good… Maybe that was one of the reasons it was so dangerous.

Letting out a moan of sorts, you rest your head back against his chest.

But then Matthew stops, and you’re half surprised he has. He wipes his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket.

“You’re completely-” he starts, looking at a loss for words, but you turn around and kiss him hard to shut him up (and as a thank you for not drinking you dry). You can still taste the remnants of your blood on his tongue…

When your lips part, Matthew starts up again. “-Reckless! And ignorant!”

“I love you, too, you big brute!” you yell back at him. Matthew huffs in anger. _Why should he be angry? He managed not to kill me after all, like I knew he wouldn’t._

“Get on the horse,” he orders, “We’re going back.”

 

**Continue to Back at Sept-Tours**


	9. Stand Frozen

Could it be that Matthew wields his own kind of vampiric magic? With the way his eyes have you hypnotized and frozen in place, you would think this to be true.

Matthew utters a couple of words, then a sentence, then a couple more. You aren’t sure what he said, but it was in the most beautiful French accent…

“ _Ma petite…”_ he utters dangerously at having reached you. The vampire takes your chin in his fingers and turns your head to the side, exposing your neck to him. His long and slender fingers are ice-cold as he touches the beating pulse in your neck. " _Delicieuse…_ ” He looks positively deadly right now, tongue darting out from his lips, but there’s nothing you can do about it. Not when he has you in the palm of his hand, entranced and willing to submit to anything he desires from you.

You've given in to the hunt as the doe had.

“Not too much,” you plead in a whisper and close your eyes to brace yourself, “I love you.”

Surprisingly enough, the worst part of it all is the initial bite. It’s momentary and painful, but as Matthew’s lips suction over the puncture and begins to drink, it brings on an entrancing, woozy feeling throughout your body.

_It feels so good…_

You wobble a little on your feet, but the vampire’s hold on you is enough to keep you steady once more. You hear your voice whine his name as if you aren’t fully there. Then, something miraculous happens.

He stops.

_Did he have enough?_

Without a further word, Matthew straightens up and looks down at you with what you think might be regret. He leads you back to the horses and helps you up on yours.

The ride back to Sept-Tours is a quiet one, mostly because you’re replaying the act committed over in your mind.

 

**Continue to Talk About It**


	10. Run Into the Woods

Your body moves on its own. Matthew’s warnings from the past about never running from him fly from your memory as you act on instinct - making a break for it deeper into the woods. You can hear your heartbeat in your ears as you push past the branches, and the leaves make a deafening rustle as you try to escape the man you love.

The little voice screams in your head telling you that fleeing is pointless. It will only make him react worse.

_ Oh God… _

You make a turn around a large oak tree, but run smack into something hard and fall down onto the hard ground. It was Matthew.

“I told you never to run from me,” he snarls down at you. His eyes are fierce and wide and round as he crouches before you. You shrink back, trying to see if the earth will swallow you up before Matthew does. The vampire’s hands are quick - pinning your arms into the dirt and hovers over you. He presses his nose to your neck and inhales deeply.

_ Can he smell the adrenaline? The fear? The love? _

“Forgive me,” he says in a rough voice. The next thing you know, Matthew has bitten into your skin to allow himself access to your blood. You cry out at the pierce of his teeth and hear it echo through the woods. The more he sucks from you, the more you whimper.

Strangely enough, as Matthew drinks from you with his animal-like feeding noises, you find the act extremely pleasurable along with tinges of pain. It’s the oddest combination.

“Matthew…”

You’re starting to feel woozy. He’s taking too much from you, and soon the forest canopy fades to black.

 

**Continue to Waking Up.**


	11. Back at Sept-Tours

You and Matthew had put away the steeds and returned to the manor wordlessly. You could tell he was fuming at your so-called recklessness by letting him drink from you. Or rather commanding him to do so.

Matthew storms up the winding stairs of the tower leading to his room. Consequently, it was in the same direction as _your room_ as well. He’s clearly too angry to walk up with you let alone carry you up. _Those damn stairs._ _They go on for miles._

Eventually, you make your way up, slowly but surely. You bet it was Matthew’s sick way of teaching you a lesson - to think about what you’d done back there.

But Matthew doesn’t give himself enough credit! You just know in your heart, in your bones that he really can control how much blood he can take from someone. From you.

At last, you reach his room, though you’d have to get through his to get to yours. Matthew stands near one of his modern looking nightstand tables - such a perfect contrast to the ancient structure of the castle - with his back to you.

 

Do you:

**Sneak past him to get to your room?**

**Address Matthew?**


	12. Talk About It

“Do you want to talk about it?” you pipe up at last, once you both walk into the dining area of the castle. Matthew huffs and runs a hand through his hair.

“I’d rather not.”

“Please?”

The vampire sits down on the sofa, appearing exhausted (if this were even possible), but most certainly beside himself. You take a seat on the arm of the couch and look down at him in his state. Eventually, after what feels like forever, Matthew speaks.

“I _told_ you. I _knew_ I wouldn’t be able to control myself around you. I was too consumed with desire when I caught wind of your scent. That’s all it takes, my darling. I could have killed you-”

“-But you didn’t. You stopped. And…” You pause, unsure if you should voice these particular thoughts.

“I know I’ll regret asking, but ‘and’?”

“ _And_ … it felt so good. When you drank from me, that is,” you confess.

“Do you understand why then that it’s dangerous for me to do so? What if neither of us wanted to stop my feeding?”

You contemplate his words for a moment.

“But we managed to get through it, and I bet if-”

“-Don’t say it-”

“-We practice in small doses, we could both get what we want?”

Matthew stares at you in disbelief. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” You take his hands in yours to prove your sincerity and look into his eyes.

“We can do this, Matthew. I know you’ve said never to trust a vampire or you, but after what I saw today, what I _felt_ , I know we can make this work. And it could be _amazing._ ”

The vampire licks his lips.

“I will think about it,” he says slowly, then mutters under his breath, “I am so weak around you.” You think he thought you couldn’t hear him.

With certainty, you say, “But we can be strong together.”

 

_The End_


	13. Waking Up

Your eyes flutter awake. The room is a little blurry at first, but when you soon adjust to the lighting, you notice you’re lying in Matthew’s bed. Though the man himself is nowhere to be seen…

Removing the covers from your body, you go to stand on the wood floor. The wound from where Matthew drank from you is tender still.  _ How long have I been out? _

Surely, he wouldn’t be too far away from you. He usually never is.

You think you know where you might find the brooding vampire, so you head up the twisting staircase of the tower until you reach the rooftop.

And there he stands, looking out across the field below. He must be in deep thought, regretting everything he did to you.

  
  
  


Do you:

**Get his attention?**

**Turn around and leave him in peace?**


	14. Sneak Past Him

You start to tiptoe to the second staircase leading up to your room, hoping the floorboards aren’t so old as to creak underneath you. Then again, you should have remembered vampires have notoriously precise hearing.

“I need to speak with you.”

His voice is grave and cold.

_Damn._

You turn on your heels and wait to hear how he’ll start. You’ve caused enough trouble for today, no matter how right you think you are.

“How could you have done what you did back there? Have you no common sense?”

“Matthew, come on-”

“No! Do you not understand? I almost kept going!” Matthew raises his voice. “I almost completely devoured you, and _especially_ after that- that- _noise_ you made. _Dieu Seigneur_ , (Y/N)!”

“It felt amazing, Matthew!” you shout back. “It just happened!”

He invades your space with one swift step. “Of course it did, that’s the lure of vampires! Once we have you sharing our desire, that’s when we kill!”

“But you didn’t! The fact of the matter is you _stopped._ And if you were able to stop then, you can do it again.”

“Well we’re not going to be doing _that_ again,” he says with finality.

“Bite me.”

Matthew’s eyes flash at you with severity. “What did you say?”

You had meant it earnestly, to have him bite and drink from you again, but the realization of the other implication of the phrase makes you suddenly laugh out loud because it is also fitting as to how you feel. Great, now you have the giggles at the most inopportune time, when you’re trying to make a point!

Matthew eyes you curiously, then can’t help but chuckle at your absurdity and the phrase.

“Come here,” he tells you, voice resigned to a sudden sweetness. He holds you in his arms as your giggles die down. “You are too headstrong and stubborn for your own good.”

“Well, Professor Clairmont,” you pause to lean up and kiss his nose, “I’d say I’m in good company, then.”

 

_The End_


	15. Address Matthew

“Matthew?”

_He’s going to yell at me some more, isn’t he?_

The vampire shakes his head. “You disobeyed me.”

“I don’t have to obey you!” you protest.

“What about when it comes to your safety? What if I know what’s best? It’s like you want me to drain you of your blood!”

You fall silent, thinking back to how it felt with his lips on your neck and the feeling of him drinking you. Indeed, it felt incredible, and maybe part of you wished he would never stop. Even if in the back of your head that meant your death.

As if reading your thoughts, Matthew says, “You enjoyed it.” It wasn’t a question.

You nod. “I never knew it could feel like that.”

“The desire only grows from there for both parties until one is satisfied and the other is dead.”

“Except you managed to stop,” you point out.

“You didn’t make it easy on me, my darling. Especially not with that positively sensual noise you made. _Christ,_ you nearly killed us both with that.”

“Well, on the whole, I regret nothing,” you admit defiantly with a smirk. Matthew gives another shake of his black locks, puffing out air from his nose in a tired laugh.

“I’m starting to think you’re the bad influence in this relationship.” He pulls you in close, unable to keep his hands off of you, let alone his smile.

“And what gave you that impression?”

 

_The End_


	16. Get His Attention

“Don’t do it,” you say. Matthew turns at your voice and looks at you questioningly. “Sorry, that was a bad joke. Nothing would happen to you anyway. If you jumped, you’d probably stick the landing with a flourish.”

“Honestly? You’re making humorous attempts after me attacking you?”

“I thought the moment needed some comedy relief,” you shrug innocently. “Poor judgement, I know. Must be the theme of the day…”

You look down at the ground. “I’m sorry, Matthew, this is all my fault. I forgot what you’ve been constantly telling me. I ran.” Matthew looks like he wants to console you, and yet seems afraid to touch you. And even though what he said is true, that he attacked you, you’d still feel safer if you were in his arms.

“Please hold me, Matthew.”

“I don’t think it’s wise…”

You take it upon yourself to move closer to the vampire, this time not running away. Your arms go around his middle and you press your head against his chest. “I’m sorry and I forgive you. I’m sorry.”

Matthew strokes your hair and holds onto you a little tighter, as if to protect you from his past-self in the forest. “Shhh, my darling,” he coos. “We’ll make it through this. I swear on my everlasting life I will do everything in my power to make sure that never happens again.”

“How will you do that?”

“Well for one thing, we’re never going outside again.” You laugh at his own joke, and he seems glad you liked it. “No… but I will never hunt in your presence again, that you can be sure of, my love.”

“You know,” you say, “I think I’m okay with that.”

“At least I have your approval,” he quips, and mischievously tickles your sides.

“Rude!” you can’t help but giggle. Things are already starting to feel back to normal, just a little more enlightened than usual.

 

_The End_


	17. Leave Him in Peace

You turn, trying not to make a sound, but the sharp hearing creature’s voice floats into your ears.

“No, stay.”

Planting your feet firmly in place, you wait for anything further Matthew might have to say.

“You cannot begin to understand how dreadfully I feel about what happened earlier. But I knew we should have left when I said so… but that is neither here nor there. I will understand I you won’t forgive me because I don’t deserve such generosity-”

“-But I do,” you interrupt him.

“I’m sorry?”

“I do forgive you, Matthew. It was entirely _my_ fault for running away from you. You’ve told me countless times in the past to never do such a thing. From you or any vampire that may cross my path. I was foolish, and I’m the one who is sorry.”

“ _Venez ici,_ ” he says in French. _Come here._

With one foot in front of the other, you make your way into your vampire’s open arms. Such a contrast from being pinned under them…

“We must be smarter from now on, yes?” he says. “Both of us need to have better communication.”

“I agree.”

“Perfect.” He sweetly kisses your temple.

“And Matthew?”

“Yes, my darling?”

“After what happened… I want you to know I still trust you with my life,” you confess, “even if I shouldn’t.”

“Then I will do my damndest to guard it with my own, even from myself.”

 

_The End_


End file.
